Hinge device for dust cover

ABSTRACT

An article, such as the cabinet of a record changer, is provided with a wall which faces outwardly and projecting outwardly from the wall is a ledge on which the lower rim of a dust cover rests. Cooperating elements of a hinge arrangement are formed on the lower edge of the rim and on the wall of the article so that the dust cover can be tilted upwardly to expose the top of the article. Cooperating elements of an abutment arrangement also stop the dust cover in a tilted position on the article so that it is supported with the top of the article exposed.

[ Nov. 26, 1974 HINGE DEVICE FOR DUST CUVER [75] Inventor: MykolaDsjuba, Fort Wayne, Ind.

[73] Assignee: The Magnavox Company, Ft.

Wayne, Ind.

[22] Filed: Dec. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 311,060

[52] US. Cl ..220/331,16/171, 220/337, ,7. .3121 3 .2./.2 &1L229L 3 [51]Int. Cl A47b 81/06 [58] Field of Search 16/171; 220/31 R, 30, 315;217/56, 57; 312/316, 8, 284, 285; 220/38 Primary Examiner-JordanFranklin Assistant Examinerl(enneth J. Dorner Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Thomas A. Briody; Richard T. Seeger; William W. Holloway, Jr,

[57] ABSTRACT An article, such as the cabinet of a record changer, isprovided with a wall which faces outwardly and projecting outwardly fromthe wall is a ledge on which the lower rim of a dust cover rests.Cooperating elements of a hinge arrangement are formed on the lower edgeof the rim and on the wall of the article so that the dust cover can betilted upwardly to expose the top of the article. Cooperating elementsof an abutment arrangement also stop the dust cover in a tilted positionon the article so that it is supported with the top of the articleexposed.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures HINGE DEVICE FOR DUST COVER The presentinvention relates to a hinge arrangement for hingedly connecting twoparts, such as an article and a dust cover therefor.

A particular article with which a dust cover is employed is the cabinetof a record changer. In general, the cabinet of a record changer has theturntable and the pick-up arm and the controls on the top wall and hasan outwardly facing peripheral wall. The peripheral wall may be providedwith an outwardly protruding ledge and this ledge is adapted forsupportingly engaging the rim of a dust cover. Ordinarily, with sucharrangements, the dust cover is completely removed to expose theturntable for receiving records and this can represent an inconveniencebecause the dust cover must be deposited somewhere after it is removedfrom the record changer.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present inventionis the provision of a hinging arrangement for hingedly connecting a dustcover on an article such as the cabinet of a record changer.

Another object is the provision of an extremely simple and inexpensivehinging arrangement of the nature referred to and which, furthermore,supports the dust cover in upwardly tilted position when it has beenraised to expose the upper surface and turntable of the record changer.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of ahinging arrangement of the nature referred to in which the dust covercan be completely removed from the cabinet of the record changer merelyby lifting the dust cover, or as the hinging device hecomes operativewhen the dust cover is tilted on the record changer.

The foregoing objects as well as still other objects and advantages ofthe present invention will become more apparent upon reference to thefollowing detailed specification taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view showing a corner of a recordchanger cabinet and a dust cover therefor.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in at the recordchanger cabinet and the dust cover therefor at one corner.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views showing the dust cover in closed,partly tilted and completely tilted positions, respectively.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the entire record changer cabinetand its associated dust cover.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

According to the present invention, a record changer cabinet, or thelike, has an upwardly facing ledge extending about the outwardly facingwall for supportingly engaging the bottom edge of the rim of a dustcover. The wall is provided with apertures on one side at the junctureof the wall with the ledge, while the dust cover is provided withprotruding leg portions receivable in the apertures. The dust cover isadapted for resting on the ledge and can be removed from the cabinet bystraight upward movement thereof but, upon tilting of the dust coverabout the edge adjacent the aforementioned apertures, the leg' portionsof the dust cover will enter the apertures and define a hinge axis aboutwhich the dust cover can be tilted on the cabinet.

Cooperating elements of abutment means are provided on the cabinet andon the dust cover to support the dust cover in a predetermined tiltedposition on the cabinet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, reference numeral 10generally indicates an article such as the cabinet for a record changer.This article has an outwardly facing wall 12 and formed on the wall andprotruding laterally outwardly therefrom below the upper edge of thewall is a ledge 14. The ledge 14 is adapted for supportingly engagingthe lower edge 16 of a dust cover 18 which is adapted for being placedon the article so as to telescopically engage the upper region of wall12 and to enclose and protect the top portion of the cabinet. Thecabinet and the dust cover are rectangular when viewed in plan.

According to the present invention, a hinge arrangement is providedabout which the dust cover can be tilted from closed to open positionand this hinge arrangement takes the form of apertures 20 formed alongat least one side of the wall 12 adjacent the juncture thereof withledge 14 and which apertures are adapted for receiving the dependent legportions 22 formed along the adjacent bottom edge, or rim, of the dustcover as, for example, by forming the undercut 24 therein.

Normally, as mentioned, the cabinet is substantially rectangular whenviewed in plan and the dust cover 18 is of a corresponding shape and canbe set down directly over the cabinet with the rim l6 resting on theledge. The top cover can thus be completely removed from the cabinet bymerely lifting the dust cover vertically.

However, the dust cover can also be tilted upwardly about the edgecontaining the legs 22 and when this is done the legs will slide downthe inclined ramps 26 leading upwardly and outwardly from the bottoms ofapertures 30. When the dust cover reaches a predetermined tiltedposition, the legs 22 will engage underneath the top walls of theapertures 30, while the outer side of the dust cover will rest on top ofthe abutment ribs 28 formed on the ledge 14 at the outer ends of theramps 26. When the cover is tilted down, the legs 22 ride up the rampsand the cover returns to the starting position thereof.

It will be understood that the apertures 20, as shown, consist of anaperture adjacent each end of the respective side of the cabinet butcould include one or more further apertures distributed along therespective side of the cabinet. Also, apertures could be disposed alongone or more other sides of the cabinet, if so desired.

Each aperture at. the end of the cabinet wall, it will be noted, extendsalong the respective side wall of the cabinet at the ends and into theadjacent side wall of the cabinet as indicated at 30 in FIG. 1, and thispermits the dust cover to be relatively simply formed merely byproviding the undercut 24 in the side thereof.

FIGS. 3 through 5 show the dust cover in various positions. The dustcover is resting in idle position in FIG. 3; while in FIG. 4 the dustcover is shown in partly tilted position with the legs 22 thereofsliding downwardly along ramps 26; while FIG. 5 shows the dust cover incompletely outwardly tilted position with the legs 22 engaging the topwalls of the apertures 20 and with the outer side of the dust coversupportingly engaged by the abutment ribs 28 formed on the ledge 14 ofthe cabinet.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the present inventionproposes an extremely simple and inexpensive arrangement for providing ahinged joint between a dust cover and an article on which it rests,specifically between a dust cover and the cabinet of a record changer.The cabinet of the record changer and the dust cover, as well, can bemolded of plastic materials and the cooperating elements of the hingearrangement and the abutment arrangement can be molded directly in thecabinet and dust cover, whereby no machining or other parts are requiredto provide for the above described hinge arrangement.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a record changer cabinet, the combination comprising a firstmember having a generally vertical outwardly facing wall, said wallhaving an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall,said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below said upper edge andextending in a horizontal direction, a second member having a downwardlyextending rim resting on said ledge when said cabinet is in a closedposition, hinge means including first and second cooperating elements,said first and second cooperating elements being normally disengaged sothat said cabinet may be readily opened by straight vertical movement ofone of said members away from the other of said members when saidmembers are in the closed position, said first element being formed on amating elongated section of said wall in the region of said ledge, saidsecond element being formed on an elongated section of said rim, saidledge having a ramp means disposed adjacent to said first element andinclined downwardly toward said first element, said ramp means beingnormally disengaged from said second element and coactable therewith tocam said second element into engaged cooperation with said firstelement, said coperating first and second elements being engageable inresponse to tilting of said second member from its closed position to anopen position relative to said first member for defining a pivot regionabout which said second member is pivotal on said first member betweenclosed and open positions.

2. The combination according to claim 1 which includes cooperatingelements of abutment means on said members operable to limit saidpivotal movement of said second member on said first member.

3. The combination according to claim 2 in which said elements ofabutment means comprise regions of said members which interengage in apredetermined tilted position of said second member.

4. In a record changer cabinet, the combination comprising a firstmember having a generally vertical outwardly facing wall, said wallhaving an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall,said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below said upper edge andextending in a horizontal direction, said second member having adownwardly extending rim resting on said ledge when said cabinet is in aclosed position, hinge means including normally disengaged cooperatingelements formed on an elongated section of said rim and on a matingelongated section of said wall in the region of said ledge, saidelements being engageable in response to tilting of said second memberfor defining a pivot region about which said second member is pivotal onsaid first member to an open position, said elements of said hinge meanscomprising an aperture means formed in said first member at the junctureof said ledge and said wall, and projection means on said rim of saidsecond member receivable in said aperture means upon tilting of saidsecond member on said first member.

5. In a record changer cabinet, the combination comprising a firstmember having a generally vertical outwardly facing peripheral wall,said wall having an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed onsaid wall, said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below saidupper edge and extending substantially completely around said peripheralwall in a horizontal direction, said second member having a downwardlyextending rim resting on said ledge when said cabinet is in a closedposition, hinge means including normally disengaged cooperating elementsformed on an elongated section of said rim and on a mating elongatedsection of said wall in the region of said ledge, said elements beingengageable in response to tilting of said second member for defining apivot region about which said second member is pivotal on said firstmember to an open position, said elements of the hinge means comprisingat least one pair of apertures disposed in spaced relation and formed atthe juncture of said ledge and said wall, and regions of said rim ofsaid second member which are receivable in said apertures upon tiltingof said second member on said first member.

6. In combination: first and second members which when viewed from aboveare substantially rectangular, said first member having a generallyvertical outwardly facing peripheral wall which includes a plurality ofangularly related side walls, said peripheral wall having an upper edgeand an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall, said ledge protrudingoutwardly from said wall below said upper edge and extending in ahorizontal direction substantially completely around said peripheralwall, said second member having a downwardly extending rimtelescopically engaging said first member from above and resting on saidledge, hinge means including normally disengaged cooperating elementsformed on said rim and on said wall in the region of said ledge, saidelements comprising apertures formed in one side wall of said firstmember at the juncture thereof with said ledge and with adjacent sidewalls, each aperture being slit-like and parallel to the plane of saidledge, said elements also comprising projections formed on the rim ofsaid second member adjacent said apertures and receivable in saidapertures upon tilting of said second member about the edge of the rimthereof which is adjacent the said one side wall, said elements beingengageable in response to tilting of said second member for defining apivot region about which said second member is pivotal on said firstmember.

7. The combination according to claim 6 in which said projections onsaid rim are formed by relieving the region of the rim disposed betweenthe said apertures.

8. The combination according to claim 6 in which said ledge is formedwith ramp means which incline downwardly toward said apertures to guidesaid projections into said apertures when said second member is tiltedon said first member.

10. The combination according to claim 8 in which said ledge comprisesupwardly extending protruberances at least at the outer ends of saidramp means which engage and support said second member in apredetermined maximum tilted position on said first

1. In a record changer cabinet, the combination comprising a first member having a generally vertical outwardly facing wall, said wall having an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall, said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below said upper edge and extending in a horizontal direction, a second member having a downwardly extending rim resting on said ledge when said cabinet is in a closed position, hinge means including first and second cooperating elements, said first and second cooperating elements being normally disengaged so that said cabinet may be readily opened by straight vertical movement of one of said members away from the other of said members when said members are in the closed position, said first element being formed on a mating elongated section of said wall in the region of said ledge, said second element being formed on an elongated section of said rim, said ledge having a ramp means disposed adjacent to said first element and inclined downwardly toward said first element, said ramp means being normally disengaged from said second element and coactable therewith to cam said second element into engaged cooperation with said first element, said cooperating first and second elements being engageable in response to tilting of said second member from its closed position to an open position relative to said first member for defining a pivot region about which said second member is pivotal on said first member between closed and open positions.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 which includes cooperating elements of abutment means on said members operable to limit said pivotal movement of said second member on said first member.
 3. The combination according to claim 2 in which said elements of abutment means comprise regions of said members which interengage in a predetermined tilted position of said second member.
 4. In a record changer cabinet, the combination comprising a first member having a generally vertical outwardly facing wall, said wall having an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall, said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below said upper edge and extending in a horizontal direction, said second member having a downwardly extending rim resting on said ledge when said cabinet is in a closed position, hinge means including normally disengaged cooperating elements formed on an elongated section of said rim and on a mating elongated section of said wall in the region of said ledge, said elements being engageable in response to tilting of said second member for defining a pivot region about which said second member is pivotal on said first member to an open position, said elements of said hinge means comprising an aperture means formed in said first member at the juncture of said ledge and said wall, and projection means on said rim of said second member receivable in said aperture means upon tilting of said second member on said first member.
 5. In a record changer cabinet, the combination comprising a first member having a generally vertical outwardly facing peripheral wall, said wall having an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall, said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below said upper edge and extending substantially completely around said peripheral wall in a horizontal direction, said second member having a downwardly extending rim resting on said ledge when said cabinet is in a closed position, hinge means including normally disengaGed cooperating elements formed on an elongated section of said rim and on a mating elongated section of said wall in the region of said ledge, said elements being engageable in response to tilting of said second member for defining a pivot region about which said second member is pivotal on said first member to an open position, said elements of the hinge means comprising at least one pair of apertures disposed in spaced relation and formed at the juncture of said ledge and said wall, and regions of said rim of said second member which are receivable in said apertures upon tilting of said second member on said first member.
 6. In combination: first and second members which when viewed from above are substantially rectangular, said first member having a generally vertical outwardly facing peripheral wall which includes a plurality of angularly related side walls, said peripheral wall having an upper edge and an upwardly facing ledge formed on said wall, said ledge protruding outwardly from said wall below said upper edge and extending in a horizontal direction substantially completely around said peripheral wall, said second member having a downwardly extending rim telescopically engaging said first member from above and resting on said ledge, hinge means including normally disengaged cooperating elements formed on said rim and on said wall in the region of said ledge, said elements comprising apertures formed in one side wall of said first member at the juncture thereof with said ledge and with adjacent side walls, each aperture being slit-like and parallel to the plane of said ledge, said elements also comprising projections formed on the rim of said second member adjacent said apertures and receivable in said apertures upon tilting of said second member about the edge of the rim thereof which is adjacent the said one side wall, said elements being engageable in response to tilting of said second member for defining a pivot region about which said second member is pivotal on said first member.
 7. The combination according to claim 6 in which said projections on said rim are formed by relieving the region of the rim disposed between the said apertures.
 8. The combination according to claim 6 in which said ledge is formed with ramp means which incline downwardly toward said apertures to guide said projections into said apertures when said second member is tilted on said first member.
 9. The combination according to claim 6 which includes cooperating elements of abutment means on said members which engage in such tilted position of said second member that the center of gravity thereof is disposed laterally outwardly beyond at least the region of engagment of said projections with said apertures.
 10. The combination according to claim 8 in which said ledge comprises upwardly extending protruberances at least at the outer ends of said ramp means which engage and support said second member in a predetermined maximum tilted position on said first member. 